Show Ball Hoping to Show Its Stuff

Van Nuys Show Ball, the most dominant team of the summer, opens play against Ventura in the American Legion Area 6 baseball tournament at 4 p.m. Thursday at Birmingham High.

Van Nuys (25-1) went unbeaten in the District 20 tournament, defeating defending Area 6 champion Valley Chatsworth, 5-1, on Sunday in the championship game. Ventura (19-8) is the District 16 runner-up.

Chatsworth (20-6) opens its title defense at 1 p.m. Thursday at Birmingham against District 24 champion Westside (16-4).

The other Area 6 opener is at 10 a.m. Thursday at Birmingham between District 16 champion Ojai-Santa Paula (23-5) and District 24 runner-up Santa Monica (11-5).

Ojai-Santa Paula, behind two three-run home runs by Aaron Segovia, defeated Ventura, 11-4, in the District 16 championship game Sunday.

The double-elimination tournament continues Friday through Sunday at UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium. The winner advances to the state tournament in Yountville.

If Van Nuys and Chatsworth win their openers, they would meet Friday. Chatsworth has scored one run in three games against Van Nuys this season.

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Valencia served notice it will be a team to watch next season after defeating Crespi, 5-3, Monday night to win the Palomino high school division section championship.

Richie Martin, a senior who struggled last season with a .276 batting average, continued his transition into a pitching standout. He pitched a five-hitter and struck out 12.

Shortstop Jimmy Rohan hit a home run and Robert Herrick drove in two runs. Valencia and Crespi advance to the Palomino zone tournament in Ontario next week.

Rohan, a junior, could be one of the best infielders in the region next season.

“We really struggled to get him out,” Coach Scott Muckey of Crespi said.

Crespi’s top hitter this summer has been third baseman Jonathan Oller, who is batting .541 and has driven in 42 runs.

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It’s a little early to talk about winning a national championship, but the Westhills PONY baseball team is 13-0 and only two tournament titles away from reaching the PONY World Series for 13- and 14-year-olds Aug. 12-19 in Washington, Pa.

Comprised of current and future players at Chaminade, El Camino Real, Crespi and Calabasas high schools, Westhills will open play in an eight-team regional tournament Tuesday in West Covina.

Strong pitching and good hitting has enabled Westhills to stay unbeaten.

“We have a lot of heart,” third baseman Brian Roades said. “We’ve gotten behind in some games and done a great job coming back. We can hit the ball.”

Roades, who played on the junior varsity last season at Chaminade, is batting .525 in the cleanup spot.

Center fielder Eric Boranian, who will be a freshman at El Camino Real, is batting .469 with four home runs and has 10 stolen bases in 10 attempts.

Right fielder Jordan LeVine, another El Camino Real player, has gone seven for seven in his last three games to raise his tournament average to .545.

John Selb, freshman team most valuable player at Chaminade. is 4-0 with 37 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. Other pitchers include Kevin Ballard (2-0), Tony Bonelli (2-0), Sean Clemens (2-0) and Mike Fields (2-0).

Coach Sid Lopez, whose son, Chris, starts at shortstop, said he expects many of the players to be key contributors on high school teams.

Westhills has been one of the region’s most successful youth baseball leagues, producing major leaguers Randy Wolf, Jeff Suppan, Derek Wallace and Ryan McGuire.

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Chaminade will play the District 16 champion Saturday at 11 a.m. at Birmingham in the first game of a three-game series in the Legion 17-and-under playoffs.